


Needst Not Fear

by shadow_lover



Category: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Blood Drinking, Established Relationship, Loyalty, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-17 13:02:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5870671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadow_lover/pseuds/shadow_lover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maia twists his hands in his lap and tries to focus on Csevet’s voice, the dry intonation and the little pauses between paragraphs, instead of the overwhelmingly loud pulse of blood racing just beneath the fragile surface of his smooth, white skin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Needst Not Fear

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lunarium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's Day! Please enjoy :)
> 
> And a special shout-out to my beta -- you rock!

Maia’s teeth tear into his bottom lip as the pain crashes through him, hunger reverberating through his whole body. The cold flesh parts, but no blood rises to the surface. Even the imagined taste of blood is enough to sharpen the hunger until it too tears at him.

In the chair across the table, Csevet breaks off from reading the missive from Dachensol Polchina. He pauses long enough that Maia knows he _had_ made a sound despite every attempt otherwise. His new, sharp teeth had changed the shape of his mouth enough that even when he grinds his teeth into his lip there is a gap to let out whimpers.

Maia takes a deep breath through his nose, waiting for the crest of pain to pass, then manages, “Please, continue.” 

Ears flicking, Csevet obeys.

Maia twists his hands in his lap and tries to focus on Csevet’s voice, the dry intonation and the little pauses between paragraphs, instead of the overwhelmingly loud pulse of blood racing just beneath the fragile surface of his smooth, white skin.

He holds out as long as he can, and then a moment longer; finally, his hunger is too great.

“We are so sorry,” Maia says. Though he can _feel_ Csevet’s distress at his impropriety, and Cala and Beshelar’s joint disapproval from across the room, he will never not apologize for this. “But we need you again.”

Csevet sets the letter on the table and stands. His ears are very still, but a faint flush dusts his cheeks as he walks around the table to kneel at Maia’s side. He takes Maia’s hand. “Serenity,” he says. “We would do anything for you.”

 _Anything_. The word cuts deeper even than his unnatural hunger. “Don’t say that,” Maia whispers. 

“Yet it remains true.” Csevet lets go of Maia’s hand and reaches to unbutton his sleeve.

“Please, no. You’re too scarred there already.” They are not scars if they do not heal. Maia doesn’t know how he will ever heal from this.

Csevet stills, and then his hands move to his throat. He pulls a pendant from his neck and tucks it into his pocket. His hands are very slow and very steady as he undoes the tiny buttons of his high collar. The shirt is so tight he has to open it all the way past his collarbone before he can push the fabric far enough aside.

Maia swallows. His hunger is devastating, a pounding clockwork echo inside his hollow chest. He is nothing more than a shell filled up with breath and need and shame.

He has always loved the pale gleam of Csevet’s skin. Even before he met him, he loved the light of the moon. How its high gaze touches so much more gently than that of the sun. How every month it vanishes into shadow, and yet always returns.

Now Maia is the shadow cast over the moon, and yet Csevet always returns. Maia is pathetically grateful for that.

He stands and pulls Csevet up to stand before him. Csevet’s looking at him the way he always does. Like Maia’s someone worth following, worth obeying, worth loving.

“I’m sorry,” Maia breathes again, like always, as he leans forward.

And like always, Csevet smiles. “Needst not fear. Thy touch does not hurt me.”

Maia clings to that promise as he leans into Csevet’s neck, as he kisses the soft, moon-pale skin, as he gives into his lust and his hunger. As he bites.

**Author's Note:**

> [Beautiful Companion Fanart](http://shiftingpath.tumblr.com/post/139830814829/now-maia-is-the-shadow-cast-over-the-moon-and-yet) by Path


End file.
